Arch-based distro EndeavourOS Mercury released with Linux kernel 6.13, Xfce 4.20, and more

EndeavourOS has released the latest version, EndeavourOS Mercury, of its Arch-based Linux distribution. This update is powered by the Linux 6.13 kernel and includes notable software updates such as Calamares 25.02.1.4, Firefox 135, Mesa 24.3.4, X.Org Server 21.1.15, and NVIDIA 570.86.16.

The release features the KDE Plasma 6.2.5 desktop environment on both the live environment and offline installation option, with the latest Xfce 4.20 desktop environment available during installation. It introduces a memory test for EFI, and defaults to a dark theme for desktop environments like KDE Plasma, GNOME, XFCE, Mate, Budgie, and Cinnamon.

Key improvements include resolving issues with BIOS/Legacy installs and the installer showing double entries for the EFI selection dropdown. The XFCE 4 theme has been adjusted to align more closely with the default setup, and GNOME now automatically sets dark and light wallpapers when changing modes. Additionally, the “replace partition” function has been fixed, and changes to the mirror list during the live session are now retained and not re-ranked during installation.